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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. squash — to crush
  6. degree — an amount
  7. charge — a price
  8. root — the cause
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bound — certain
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bound — obliged
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cap — a hat
  18. root — of a word
  19. cap — of ice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. degree — from a university
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com